Strategic planning, legal services contract on Dec. 15 agendaAt their Thursday meeting, commissioners are expected to consider a $450,000 contract for general legal counsel services in 2012 and an amendment to the contract with APM Terminals to provide a terminal security force.

Commissioners will also hear an update on the Port's development of a strategic plan, along with a briefing on the Tacoma-Pierce County Economic Development Board's 2012 work plan that includes Port-specific tasks.

Commission meetings begin at noon in Room 104 of The Fabulich Center, 3600 Port of Tacoma Rd. Meetings are available live and on demand from the Port's website.

In the community

Donate to Toys for Tots drive by Dec. 22The Port is a collection site for Pierce County's Toys for Tots drive, which is sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps.

Drop off new, unwrapped gifts at our Administration Building at One Sitcum Way in Tacoma by noon Thursday, Dec. 22. The gifts will be delivered to the Marine Corps League and Pierce County Sheriff's Department warehouse, where volunteers will match gifts with children.

Port habitat site to be featured on TV TacomaTV Tacoma is scheduled this week to film a segment about the Port's Place of Circling Waters habitat site, located along Hylebos Creek.

The Port completed work to restore the 30-acre salmon-friendly site this past summer. To build the site, the Port reclaimed a former gravel mine, removed more than 250,000 tons of contaminated material, created intertidal channels and planted 35,000 native trees and shrubs.

The National Freight Mobility Infrastructure Act supports critical freight infrastructure and transportation improvements by creating a long-term financing program within the U.S. Department of Transportation. Grant funding would be awarded based on a project's impact to the nation's freight mobility network.

The Port thanks Congressman Smith for working to keep our nation competitive in the global market. Strategic corridor investments will expand capacity and increase efficiency.

Energy retrofits realized through incentive programWith the installation of more energy-efficient lighting and fixtures at several properties, the Port is saving about 1.2 million kilowatts a year. That's enough energy to power 119 homes for one year.

Over the past two years, the Port has retrofitted three warehouses, an auto storage yard, the Fabulich Center and its maintenance building. While the projects would have totaled nearly $300,000, the Port took advantage of a Tacoma Public Utilities' program providing incentives to businesses that invest in energy conservation. The program cut the Port's total cost by 64 percent.

The Port estimates the average return on investment for each project is about three years.

Tacoma-built custom yacht featured in industry magazineA custom-built yacht crafted on the Tacoma Tideflats is featured in the January/February issue of Yachts International magazine.

The 102-foot-long, steel-hulled Polar Bear was built by Tacoma-based Aleutian Yachts, which also does business under the Citadel Yachts brand. The vessel, which features top-of-the-line fittings, displays the work of about 50 local craftspeople. Aleutian chose to build its yachts in the South Sound because of the highly skilled craftspeople based here.

Task force recommends $20 billion transportation packageThe Connecting Washington task force at their Dec. 12 meeting recommended Washington state plan to spend about $20 billion over the next 10 years on the state's transportation system, a fraction of the estimated $50 billion in needed improvements.

While the task force did not recommend specific projects or tax proposals, the group did provide a menu of possible funding options for the governor and Legislature to consider when writing a transportation funding package.

Gov. Chris Gregoire convened the statewide task force this past summer and charged the group with developing a 10-year transportation investment and funding strategy. Port Commissioner Don Meyer is the only representative from Pierce County representative.